Yemen troops regain al-Qaida town

Yemen's army has regained control of one of al Qaida's key strongholds in the south which the militant group has held for more than a year, the state-run news agency said today.

Quoting local officials, Saba says troops swept into the town of Jaar in a surprise early-morning attack, sparking fierce clashes and forcing militants to flee towards the southern coastal town of Shaqra, another al-Qaida stronghold.

Al-Qaida took control of large swathes of southern Yemen during last year's turmoil linked to the uprising against then-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Waleed Mohammed, a resident contacted by telephone, said people in the town gathered in Jaar's centre to celebrate, firing gunshots in the air.